This poem seems very Loki-esque to me — especially when one considers Loki’s association with dandelions:
“Let them try to stop you
in every way they know;
Even if they poison you,
Cut you down,
Uproot you,
Burn you to ashes,
Bury you deep,
And pave over the place
where you lie;
The weeds of your tenacity
will sprout through the cracks
And bloom.”
— Bree NicGarran, “Dandelion Roots” May 2022
Describe your God as something that occurs in nature.
*** UPG alert ***
Hail Loki!
#30 days
Has there been a time when you feel They have sent something to appear to you on their behalf?
No.
When I saw this prompt this morning, my first thought was to…ignore it.
I even looked through the next few prompts in the list, fully intending to skip this particular one, telling myself that I didn’t have an answer for this question, certain that my answer to this prompt would definitely be No.
The Gods have never sent me anything to appear to me on their behalf.
Well, at least as far as I know, I said to myself. There. That’s settled.
But then, as the day went on, I will admit that my mind kept circling back to this prompt, almost annoyingly so.
I mean, if I’ve learned anything these past ten years (ten years?!) I’ve learned that as soon as I think I’ve resolved to avoid something or I start pushing away thoughts of something, reminders of whatever it is that I’m avoiding will inevitably pop up again and again in the weirdest ways.
Because, on the surface, the answer is No. I do not think that The Gods have sent me any tangible thing to appear to me on their behalf.
I’ve seen others answer this prompt with stories involving sightings of an animal oracle, the blessed re-appearance of some previously lost items, or according to a few Lokeans’ interesting tales, the mysterious and impossible appearance of physical items such as a sterling silver ring, an unopened CD of the finder’s favorite band, or, most bizarrely of all, an envelope with the finder’s full name on it containing a letter signed with the initials of their deity…
But that has never happened to me.
But what has happened to me has been a string of odd coincidences, happenstance, and pandoramancy, so many little moments where the flow of my mundane life has been interrupted by an occurrence or experience that only became a Meaningful Piece (in a spiderweb of Meaningful Things) sometime later…sometimes years after the fact.
And yet, for all the Meaningful Things that have occurred, I still find myself analyzing – and maybe even questioning – the legitimacy, the reality of them all, at times.
I was raised by skeptics, after all.
So, the short answer is Yes. Perhaps I have been sent signs – and maybe even wonders! – but in the end, while many of them were inexplicable, all of them were intangible.
I’ve only had experiences, and unfortunately, there isn’t any proof of them that I could show you, much less tell you.
#30 days
Loki, by three other names:
I will admit that, upon first seeing this kenning years ago, I did think that this kenning for Loki referred to Sigyn’s holding of the bowl over Loki’s face (as anyone who has ever held something – however small – with their arms outstretched for longer than a few minutes has experienced that incessant twinge of muscle fatigue in their arms.) So, using that logic, perhaps one might see how I could have thought of the act of holding the bowl could have referred to the holding of a physical burden in one’s arms.
And yet, I was delighted to find out sometime later, in reading an article regarding Norse terms of endearment, that “arm-burden” is a common kenning for lover, referring to the husband/lover laying in the woman’s arms.
Sweet ❤
~~~
I have written of this kenning before, as early on in my practice with Loki, I was inexplicably led to explore Loki’s connection to vultures. I was having almost daily interactions with vultures where I live (Florida), coupled with several rather intense interactions with Loki thereafter, also involving vultures. (You can read of one particular connective experience here.) And through that exploration, Gammleið has become one of my favorite kennings for Loki.
I’ve seen this word translated loosely as ‘Roarer’ and like the above kenning, I had trouble fathoming the connection of Hveðrungr to Loki at first.
What is something that could be associated with Loki that ‘roars’?
I thought of lions – which certainly did not fit – but it was not until I was burning some extremely flammable offerings to Loki in a fire pit in my backyard one day that I heard how loud a bonfire can be:
And I suppose is what led to a bit of my UPG that Loki as Roarer refers to Loki in an association with fire — whether as a hearthfire(1) at the center of a home, or as a bonfire full of sacrificial offerings(2) – as I’ve always gotten the impression that Loki is a roaring spirit who appreciates offerings consumed by flames.
Not to mention this entry in Rudolf Simek’s Dictionary of Northern Mythology, which defines Hveðrungr thusly:
In Vǫluspá 55, Vidarr takes revenge for the death of his father, Odin, by killing ‘Hveðrungr‘s son,’ who, according to Snorri (Gylfaginning 50), must be the Fenris wolf. As the father of the Fenris wolf is Loki, Hveðrungr would therefore be a name for Loki. The term Hveðrungr maer for Hel, who is also a daughter of Loki’s (Ynglingatal 32), would support this.
(S. Nordal, Vǫluspá, Darmstadt 1980)
Simek, Rudolf, (trans. Angela Hall), Dictionary of Northern Mythology, D.S Brewer, Cambridge, 1993; p. 166
#30 days
~~~~
1.) From Axel Olrik’s manuscript on Loki as a spirit of home and hearth in Norway: http://www.heimskringla.no/wiki/Loke_i_nyere_folkeoverlevering
2.) Loptson, Dagulf, Playing With Fire: An Exploration of Loki Laufeyjarson, Asphodel Press, Hubbardston, MA, 2014; p. 136
They whisper lovingly words that sound like a warning. What do They say to you?
This { thing } might serve you now – but it will not serve you much longer.
#30 days
They are a Madman, a Magician, and a clever Trickster.
They are a Lover, a Shaman, and a wily Shapeshifter.
They are a Seiðmaðr, a Consort, and a Master of Boundaries.
They are my heart’s sweetest Friend…
And I’m so glad that They found me ❤
#30 days
So here it is — July again!
And, as is tradition, this blog will be participating in a Month for Loki – that’s 30 days of devotional posting in honor of the Norse God, Loki Laufeyjarson
So, to start things off, here’s a short devotional prayer by ladybrythwensinclair, on Tumblr :
“Hail to the Friend of the Wanderer
Hail to the Keeper of the Torch of Summer*
Hail to the Laughing God of Trickery
Bless and walk with us this day”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*The star Sirius is associated with Loki and known in antiquity as Loki’s Torch (Lokabrenna). It is associated also with the hottest part of summer in the northern hemisphere (aka the dog days of summer).
While I know that there are bigger things going on today than what’s going on with me and my *feelings* – I wanted to share this poem.
It is the way that I feel.
bloodteethandflame 